Materials Lab
iron.jpg
Iron: High cost and weight
Molds to any shape, strong in compression.
Weaker than steel in tension, breaks without warning.

steel.jpg
Steel: High cost and weight
One of the strongest materials used in construction, strong in compression and tension
Rusts, loses strenght in extremely high temperatures.


Videos
Corrugated Iron in Australia
Corrugated iron is a building material composed of sheets of hot-dip galvanised mild steel cold-rolled to have a linear corrugated pattern in them.
Its characteristics are: lightweight,strong, easy to transport and corrosion resistant
Its uses through history: It was invented in the 1840s, and was originally made from wrought iron. It was because of its characteristics that it soon became a common construction material in rural areas in the United States and Australia and later India, and in Australia also became (and remains) the most common roofing material and is even used in urban areas (in which application it is usually painted) but not as commonly as in rural areas.

Steel & Iron workers
What it takes to be an iron worker: to be in good physical conditions and have great strenght. Because this job is frecuently done at great heights on narrow beams, agility, balance and good eye sight are essential. They also should not be afraid of hights or suffer from dizziness, and they should have a lot of class room training.

Iron & Steel podcast
What is the importance of the introduction of iron and steel as construction materials for architecture and urban planning?
The development of construction methods in iron and steel was the most important innovation in architecture since ancient times. These methods provide far stronger and taller structures with less expenditure of material than stone, brick, or wood and can produce greater unsupported spans over openings and interior or exterior spaces. The evolution of steel frame construction in the 20th century entirely changed the concept of the wall and the support.

Chatlog:
Alejandra Carrillo dice:
Hey girls! How are you?

Marianne Scheer dice:
Good how about you Ale? And lore?

Loredana Neves dice:
Fine thanks! So girls let’s talk about some building materials. Do you guys know about iron, stone, brick and steel?

Marianne Scheer dice:
Yes! We know what they are made of and how they are used in constructions

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
Exactly! We also know about their advantages and disadvantages

Loredana Neves dice:
Ok sounds good, but what are the advantages of iron and steel over stone and brick? We should know about this in order to choose the right material when it comes to building a certain structure

Marianne Scheer dice:
Well I know that steel and iron can be used for far stronger and taller structures with less expenditure than stone, brick, or wood and they can also be used to produce greater unsupported spans over openings, interior or exterior spaces.

Loredana Neves dice:
Yes that’s right! And Ale do you know what is the importance of steel and iron after the 20th Century?

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
The evolution of steel frame construction in the 20th century entirely changed the concept of the wall and the support.
The ability of cast iron to bear loads and to be produced in an endless variety of forms, in addition to is resistance to fire and corrosion, quickly encouraged architectural adaptations, firs as columns and arches and afterward in skeletal structures. Cast iron was later replaced by steel because of its strength, elasticity and high resistance to stress. Welding steel allowed more continuous structures that could withstand more stress.

Loredana Neves dice:
Perfect girls, what else?

Marianne Scheer dice:
Well do you all know the characteristics of steel? It is very important to know this so we can use it to our advantage. Steel is more strong, elastic, and workable than cast iron and it’s high resistant when applied all types of stress (tension, compression and bending)

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
That is very good to know Marianne, and it can come in handy in the future! I think we should also know the disadvantages of steel, and more importantly, what solutions have been found. Normally, steel must be protected against corrosion by covering its surface, but alloys such as stainless steel have been developed for exposed surfaces. Aluminum and other light metal alloys have come to be favored for exterior construction because of they are weather resistant and don’t corrode.

Loredana Neves dice:
Wow girls you sure did your research! The only thing I want to add is the definition of welding, its importance, and its characteristics. Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the work pieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material. Many different energy sources or tools can be used for welding, including a gas flame, an electric arc, a laser, an electron beam, friction, and ultrasound. Welding may be performed in many different environments, including open air, under water and in outer space. Welding is a potentially hazardous undertaking and precautions are required to avoid burns, electric shock, vision damage, inhalation of poisonous gases and fumes, and exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation.

Marianne Scheer dice:
Now, don’t you girls wonder what shapes are formed with steel?A variety of shapes can be formed with steel; the most common are plates, angles, beams, and u-shaped channels.

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
Precisely! I think we have covered many different and interesting things about steel but I wonder if aluminum and stainless steel are heavy metal alloys.

Marianne Scheer dice:
I can answer that! Aluminum is a light metal alloy but on the opposite stainless steel is a heavy metal alloy

Loredana Neves dice:
Thanks Marianne and Ale, I think we have learned a lot about these materials in this chat

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
Yes I think this is a great way to share ideas and the knowledge we have about these materials! It was nice talking to you guys! Talk to you later!!

Alejandra Carrillo dice:
ok girls bye!

Loredana Neves dice:
bye (:

Select 5 words from the games and write a paragraph related to your field using the 5 words selected.
One important element used in architecture is columns. They are a tall vertical stone post wich is used as a support of a roof or in classical buildings. They also can be made of bricks, wich are a small structural material used in many kinds of construction. Bricks are commonly in squared forms, so to create a column, in conjuction with mortar, they have to be wedge-shaped. Bricks also have different bricklaying technics that allows them to create different strutures.